In DIGITAL SHORTS we review some of the latest video games that are only available digitally (at least in the UK), in a short-form review format. In this edition we take a look at Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 on the Nintendo Switch, a helicopter-based action game.

Retro-styled games are all the rage right now, especially on the indie scene. Driven by the popularity of the likes of Minecraft and Hotline Miami, blocky 8-bit imagery has become all-pervasive in the current gaming generation – which is funny, given that current-gen gaming is the most powerful it has ever been; and here we are playing games that look like they’ve stepped out of the 80s and 90s!

Dustoff Heli Rescue 2is the latest such “retro” game to hit the market – only this one forgoes the usual platform-esque gameplay for something entirely different, yet visually all-too familiar.

The game sees players jump into the hot seat of a combat helicopter and fly behind enemy lines under heavy fire, playing through 35 tense missions that include rescuing hostages, providing air support, protecting convoys and wiping out the enemy; and piloting 12 different helicopters across various environments in varying weather conditions. With upgrades available for each helicopter – giving them more powerful guns, rockets and missiles.

Told you this was familiar gaming territory… At it’s core Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 is essentially Desert Strike / Jungle Strike all over again; just without all the combat.

Well I say this is like Desert Strike and Jungle Strike, but that’s only in terms of gameplay. Visually it looks like someone has designed the entire game in Minecraft- it has the same overly blocky visuals, right down to the helicopters you fly and the soliders you rescue. Which doesn’t detract from the gameplay but doesn’t really add anything to the game either. In fact had Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 just stuck with Megadrive-era visuals, like the two games it seeming emulates, it might have been a much more interesting visual experience.

As it stands though, Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 (I’ll be honest I don’t even know if there is a part one?) is another in a long line of indie games filling up the Nintendo eShop; and whilst its a fun pick-up-and-play title there’s little to recommend it beyond that. It’s not like the USP of Minecraft visuals will take this game far and the gameplay is too repetitive to hold your attention for too long either. It’s probably only of interest to those hardcore fans of Desert Strike and/or Jungle Strike back in the day.